Community Mission & Outreach

First Presbyterian Church Plano is extremely committed to helping those in our local community that may be overlooked or even forgotten. We have three keystone ministries: Clothes Closet, Streetside Showers Clothing, and Plano Overnight Warming Station (POWS).

(1) The Streetside Shower Clothing Ministry (all-year-round):
FPC Plano teamed up with the Streetside Shower Ministry (www.streetsideshowers.com) in June of 2020 to manage and supply basic clothing for those individuals that may find themselves in need of a shower and a change clothes. We currently replenish and distribute clothing from a Streetside Shower owned clothing truck on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, with periodic exceptions. The Streetside Shower event happens every Saturday, from 10AM to 1PM, at the Assistance Center of Collin County parking lot located at 18th Street and Ave H in Plano. They usually have two mobile shower trailers that serve roughly 45 to 65 participants during that three-hour period. Our ministry distributed just under 12,000 clothing items, or nearly 400 pieces per event, in 2022.

We have all kinds of ways, for those that feel called to volunteer, to help! Clothing donations are the life blood of this ministry. Men account for about 80% of those that utilize this program, thus, basic men’s clothing like gently used or new tennis shoes/boots, jeans, sweatpants, long and short sleeved t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, coats/jackets, belts, baseball caps, beanies, gloves, and travel-size hygiene products are greatly appreciated! Streetside Showers regularly supply underwear and socks, but if we get donations of those items, we supplement what they distribute. Of course, women’s basic clothing is also needed.

Other ways YOU can make a difference is by: Volunteering to participate with helping distribute clothing on Saturdays; Prepping donations to be distributed; Volunteering to wash, mend, hem clothing periodically as needed; To call and arrange organizations to hold periodic clothing drives; Occasionally pick up donations from individuals or organizations.

(2)  POWS-Plano Overnight Warming Station Clothing Ministry: (late October through mid-March)
FPC Plano manages (preps, packs, and delivers) donated clothing to the Salvation Army, located on east 14th Street, for other POWS volunteers to distribute to those utilizing the warming station on cold evenings. POWS (www.planows.org) was created by the homeless coalition of Collin County.

In 2022 FPC Plano delivered just over 8,000 items for POWS volunteers to distribute during 31 activation nights. That averaged out to 258 pieces of clothing per night. POWS averaged 85 clients per night with a range of 35 to 145 on any given night.

Ways YOU can help…once again, roughly 80% of participants are men, thus, basic men’s clothing is always needed. Basic women’s clothing is also needed as well. We can use volunteers to help pack clothing bins that are delivered to the Salvation Army as needed. Also, pre-packaging underwear and socks is a task that can use volunteers. 
  
Checkout an article about POWS, winter of 2022
Checkout an article about POWS, winter of 2023

(3) Family Clothes Closet Ministry: (all-year-round)
Our Clothes Closet has been in operation since the mid 1960s. It is dedicated to helping families and individuals with clothing needs in our community. Adult and children’s clothing are available as well as smaller household items, toys and even jewelry.

The Clothes Closet is located at FPC Plano on Wednesdays from 10AM to noon. Those that would like to use the Clothes Closet can call our church to arrange for an appointment.

This ministry regularly distributes 5,000 to 10,000 items per year to local families and individuals that need some help.

If you would like further information regarding the 3 Clothing Ministries, please contact the Church. We are the Clothing Church, “Clothing Body and Soul.” Matthew 25: 35-40…” I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me…”

Food for the Hungry

We support God's Food Pantry at their new location, 1896 K Ave #200, Plano, TX 75074.  Please put all your food donations in the narthex where they are picked up on Wednesdays by Kevin Poku, and taken to God's Food Pantry. One of the greatest needs is protein, such as tunafish and Spam. Breakfast cereals are important for kids. Consider those generic large bags of cereal.
 
Diapers and baby food are always needed. If you go to Sam's or Costco, consider picking up multi-packs of food items.
 
We also have an ongoing ministry to collect food and funds to help resupply the Plano Food Pantry run by another neighborhood church which, in turn, helps members of our immediate community.

Prior to the Super Bowl each year, First Presbyterian Church collects canned and boxed foods in support of the national Souper Bowl of Caring program. Food collected goes to local food pantries to resupply their inventories.

Additional Outreach Programs

Valentines Boxes for church members who are serving in the military or are away at college. 

The Annual Cookie Caper sale raises funds benefiting CITY House (Collin Intervention to Youth) located in downtown Plano. CITY House ”serves youth ages newborn to 21-years old.”
Their programs include:
  o  Emergency Shelter, ages newborn to 18 years
  o  Youth and Family Services
  o  Transitional Living Program
  o  Rapid Rehousing Program 

For more information visit City House.

FPC sponsors families through the Christmas Adopt-A-Family Program from the Assistance Center of Collin County. This program has been matching families in need with individuals or group sponsors to provide gifts for their children and one month’s worth of food at Christmas time for over 20 years. 
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Click HERE to read the Synod of the Sun article about our FPC Plano ministry with Streetside Showers.

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020
the Plano Star Courier also wrote an article about FPC Plano partnering with Streetside Showers.
Click HERE to read that article.